Gardner House
Why it's listed
Built around 1875 for Judge Gardner and his family, this farmhouse on Gardner Road in Guilderland gave the road its name. It is a Second Empire style house with a mansard roof, dormer windows and a bracketed cornice. A one-story front porch is decorated with carved and sawn brackets. Inside, the original woodwork survives, along with highly decorated mantels of marblized slate. The house sits back from the road on a grassy knoll and keeps its original setting, now surrounded by modern suburban development. A modest smokehouse on the property adds to its character, and the nominated area covers roughly five acres. It was listed because it is regarded as an exceptional example of its style and the only unaltered Second Empire building in Guilderland, with both interior and exterior details intact. The architect and builder are unknown, and the house remains in excellent condition as a residence.
Significance in brief: The inventory form calls it an exceptional example of the Second Empire style and the only unaltered Second Empire building in Guilderland. Its interior and exterior details remain intact, and it keeps its original setting amid modern suburban development. The Gardner Road name comes from the Judge Gardner family.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 82001064, listed November 10, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5661 Gardner Rd., Guilderland |
|---|---|
| County | Albany County |
| Listed | November 10, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001064 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition, still used as a residence, with no known threats; the interior is accessible by appointment. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 42.67207, -74.00059 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 82001064.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5522601
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.